STRANDING OF THE MINNA BELL. Ship owners, after a'long interval, have at last favoured us with a glaring illustration of how the reputation of the port was destroyed long years ago. The present experience, as far as Portland is concerned, is by no means a new one, but the odds are that the investi gation of the stranding of the Minna Bell will, instead of injuring the reputation of the port, confirm its now established reputation of never hlaving been as "black as it was painted." Early on Wednesday last th e Minua Bell left the jetty, at which site had been unload ing, and put to sea,-a south wind blowing the while. She sailed in the direction of tilhe Narrawong coast, and to everyone's astonish ment bore up again in the direction of Port land, making direct for the Julia Percy steamer, which was at anchor on the usual holding ground. Here, as far as we can learn, the schooner "missed stays"-not once but twice-but contrived at last to run foul of the steamer, carrying away some of ...

BELL v. SHIRE OF PORTLAND. On Monday and Tuesday last the case of Bell v. Shire Council of Portland was heard in Belfast. We take the following report frm the Bannr: Mary Jane Bell (as executrix in the estate of the late John Bell) v. The Shire Council of Portland, action to recover £1,000 damages, for loss sustained by plaintiff through the death of her husband, which it was alleged, was caused through the negli gence and wrongful act of the defendants. Mr. Molesworth appeared for the plaintiff; and Mr. Wrixoa and Mr. Chorlley for de fendants. Messrs. F. A. Corbett, A. V. Suter, J. II. Challacombe, and J. M. Knight were eni pannelled as a jury. Mr. Molesworth. in opening the case for the plaintiff, 4tated that the action was brought under an act of Parliamlent. known as Lord Campbell's Act, and proceeded to explain that the allegation of the plaintiff was that she had sustained loss through the wrongful act and negligence of the defen dants, who, contrary to law, had allowed obstru...

TABLE TALK. &amp;nbsp; NORTH- WESTERN CANAL -It will be seen by advertisement that a &amp;nbsp; public meeting is to be held at Mans Hotel on the evening of the 18th inst, whereat the practicability and desirability of establishing a vast canal system through Victoria will be discussed. Mr Dods, the Engineer and Projector of the North-Western Canal Company, will &amp;nbsp; explain the principles of the scheme he has so long been fighting for, and as the &amp;nbsp; meeting is well advertised throughout the &amp;nbsp; town and neighbourhood, it is probable &amp;nbsp; he will be called on to address a very large audience. ROWING CLUB. - A meeting of the Port- land Rowing Club was held on Wednes- day evening, at 8 o'clock, at Bevan's &amp;nbsp; London Hotel, at which Mr. A. R. Rickard occupied the chair. About a dozen members were present, the paucity &amp;nbsp; of attendance being attributable to the extraordinary attraction on the beach close by, of a v...

THE CONDAH PLOUGHING MATCH. 12th JULY, 1876. Only those conversant with the working of agricultural societies in the Home country can properly estimate the vast practical importance of the first ploughing match held at Condah on the 12th inst., and the public spirit manifested in the getting of it up, and the straightforward and honorable way in which the promoters carried it out, reflect credit on the district, and promise to be of immense service to those young men on whose skill much of the prosperity of the country depends in the future. The ground selected was a fallow paddock on the farm of Mr James Dunn, situated on the Breakaway Creek. The field is on a rising ground adjacent to the Condah Swamp, but as the ploughmen could not see from the bottom to the top of the field the disadvantages were apparent, and another year a more suitable site for a match should certainly be chosen. The ground itself was a rich black loam, and the ploughing, where no stone or tree obstructions o...

THE EDUCATION AMENDMENT ACT. Tihe following is the text of the Education Amendment Act, the second reading of which in the Legislative Assembly is an order of the day for Tuesday, 18th inst.: Be it enacted by the Queen's Most Ex cellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Council and the Legislativeo Assembly of Victoria in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same as follows: 1. This act shall be called and may be cited as " The Education Amendment Act 1876," and shall be read as one with " The Elucation Act 1872," hereinafter designated the principal act. 2. In this and the principal net the term "parent" shall inl addition to the meaning assi,,ned thereto in section three of the principal act include any person with whom a child resides or who is tile occupier of a house in which at child resides, and attend ance at any two forenoon and afternoon meetings of a school shall be deemed to be one school-day's attendance. 3. The wor...

TORRES STRAITS MAIL. AUSTRALIANY ASSOCIATED PRESS TELE* oGRA!.J Brisbane, 12th July. The following additional items haver been recived : When the Normranhy left Singapore the telegraph lines were all down between Suez and Aden, and also those via Russia. The latest London date was 16th June. It is stated that Russia has waived all objectiors, and will go hand in hand with the rest of Europe on the Eastern question. The English. ironclads ordered to Besika Bay only assembled in conse quence of the murder of the c-nsul at Salonlica. The Duke of Edinburgh is plnced in connmuand 6f an ironel ad to further his advancement to the pnsition of nadmiral. Every enrleavour was being male in the East to restore comn,.unication by telegraph with Europe and the rest of the world. Hfeavy weather has been experienced all over Asia. Tt is supolsed that Germany is hack ing out of her agreement with Russia. Many Indian offioers have been granted leave of absence to visit Aus. tralia. The Chinese harbo...

PENAL ESTABLISHMENTS. The annual report of the Inspector. fieneral of Penal Establishments was last evening presented to the Assembly From itwe extract the following: The number of prisoners in confine ment on the 31st December, 18T5, was 1638, 24 in excess of thus(e in custody at the correspon.ting period of 1874; the increase consisting of only 9 con victed persons, the remaining 15 being simply' under detention. The daily average for 1875 was also greater than during the previous year by 65, and the receipts were larger by 283 ; comprising 218 convicted and 55 unconvicted persous. It is gratifying, however, to find by return No. 2 that, ,ntwithstand. --.iug the increase of rumbers, there is a reduction in the prisoners confined for the more serious offences, as well as those under correspondingly long sentences. The 6484 convicted persons, or individuals who were afterwards con victed, were received on 8550 separate occasions--some several time-during the year; and of 6133 convic...

CORRESPONDENCE. wVhilst a ot:nittin the. gr .:lla literary frrelonl to Corres? nlarnt. , nr c:lm nnc s w.ill bu o-,m :noty to uoch comrnm ni2-.tor ans h t h cl,-rly n ritta n. temperately et pre o l, aul ct hC I al cr .C'nernl ituorest; In no wiieo holling ol lr·aiv?- reolrr. sible for any opinionl that may be convry_ ! therein. Portland Crickat Ground. (To the Editor of the Portland Guardl n.) Sir,- It the Conmmitteo of the Cricket Club propose loin, anything to improve their ground and make it a iavorite r"snrt during the coninin sumnmer for the inhabitants of Portiand, something should at once hb done; and I wtounl. suggest that the Secretarv call a meeting not only of the nmembers of the Club but all interested in tie promotion of the game, to take into consideration the desirability of taking steps nItt only to fence but generally to improve the ground, and mlake t attractive to tthe townspeople by erection of a ladies' pavilion and permanent seats round the playing ground. At ...

TIIE RiE:. CH.ANLES Ci.ARnI.-Thie eentle man, says the .4rgus, who is leaving the colony for a time, took hlis departure from Victoria on Thursday in the s.. WVentwoi th, for Sydney, en route for San Francisco and the United States, where he intends giving a series of loctures. A number of friends accompaniod Mr. Clark to the steamer to bid hinm and Mrs. Clark farewell. As Irishman was once asked if h1e had ever seen a red blackberry. "To be sure I have," said Pat; "all bla.kbcrrics are red whien they're green."

MELBOUR NE. (FnoM OUR OW; OORRESPOND)ENT.) Friday, July 14. "They love darkness better than light." They pant not for the delights of publicity,. and they scorn the public designs oe the malignant aristocrats of the Press, who impugn their grammar and hint that their English is unnecessarily peppered with aspirates. So they have resolved upon ex cluding the demons of shorthand for (h)ever and (b)evcr, and last night thelirproceedings were conducted in peace. 'Then it was that in silent and admiring conclave they listened to the orriblo (h)apostrophos of (h)Oliver, gloated over the intellectual ramblings of Staff, and felt, with Yeomans, how delightful a thing it was to be ignorant of political economy. They, the self appointed National Reform League of Victoria, the very scorn of the people whom they profess to hoodwink, have resolved that in future their parody of Parliament shall be a secret tribunal delighting in the unpub lished mixture of good gin and bad English. How vast is t...

Wanted Labor Reform. (To the Editor of tMe Portland Guardian.) Sir,-Would you allow me space in your valuable columns to make a few remarks upon the present state of laboring nmen in this district. I shall not go into the full partisculars just now of the injustices to which labonring men are subjected as most of the public are well aware of the wrongs, imposition, extortions, privations, &amp;c., they have to undergo at present from their employers, railway contractors, squatters, farmers, &amp;c. But I must say a word or so on their behalf, and I shall say nothing but the truth, or a portion of it, as I happen to have been a labouring man on public works myself in the Australian colonies for the last fifteen years. [also happened to receive my shiare of the said injustice by which the labouring men here happened to bie entrapped by false advertisements from contractors for public works &amp;ce., Look at the Adelaide news papers where you will see the full particulars o...

LATEST TELEGRAMS. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENTS.) VICTORIA. MELBOURNE, TITrs DAY. Judge Molesworth has removed the order compelling the Egerton mine gold proceeds to be deposited in the bank, and has nuthorised the amount accumulated to be paid defendants. Sawell, bank defaulter, pleaded guilty to the charge of stealing £500. Drover has been fined five pounds for evading toll. Honors Cashin, who was found guilty last sessions of attempted suicide, died before sentence was passed. Melbourne Hospital Ball, under the patronage of Lady Bowea, takes place to-night. At a meeting in the insolvency of Joseph Webster and Co.'s estate, debts were proved exceeding ninety thousand pounds. It was resolved that the estate be vested in Richardson, of the Victoria Sugar Co., and Prell, as trustees. Waterloo Cup coursing match progress ing. The favorite, Madcap, was beaten by Lucy. Wheat, 0s. Id.; flour, £12 15s.; oats, 2s. 10d. to 3s. 2d.; maize, 3s. 10,1. The Treasurer's financial statement will be...

ENGLISH NEWS. GAINSBOROUGII'S DUCHESS OF DI)IVONSIIIRE STOLEN. Gainsboroughl's famous portrait of the Duchess of Devonshire was on Thursday night, 25th May, stolen, under extraordinary and imysterious circumstances. It was pur chased by .Messrs. Agnew and Sons so re cently ns tile 8th Inst., at the sale of the late Mr Wynn Ellis's collection, by Mlessrs Christie, Manson and Woods, for the large aunt of 10,100 guineas, and since Tuesday week it has been exhibited at the Art Gallery, 39 Old Bond-street. There is another exhibition of paintings on the same premises, but this picture was in a room by itself on the first floor, fronting tile street. It was there when the ntian in charge, who lives in a street at the back, locked up the premises, at half-past nine o'clock on Thurs day evening, lie re-opened them on Friday morning at seven o'clock, when there was nothing unusual in the appearance of the premises to excite his attention, but on going, at half-past seven, into the room where...

VITII VIIICII IS INCORPORATED THE s PORETLAND EXPRESS." To Protect our Rights -- ot to Infringe upon those of Others. TUESDAY, JULY 18. THE EASTERN WAR CLOUD. Tossc who have lived for several years in this culony will have some times noticed how, in a dry season, all the indications of a downpour of rain.usually come to nothing. Those signs, which in a wet season are unfailing, are dissipated in a moment, and the sky is again clear. But it is also noticeable that the storm, though long in coming, bursts without fail at last. Somewhat similar are the signs and tokens of the outburst of war over the decay of the Turkish Empire. At times it would seem as if the evil day could not possibly be averted any longer. Less than a week ago the publication in these colonies of the Berlin note to Turkey indicated the certainty of the outbreak of hostilities, in which the three great northern powers of Europe would be ranged on one side, and England, with France, on the other. A day or two later ...

P,.P. COLDS~1HTH, BEN NTINCK STREET, PORTLAND, BEGS to announce to the public of Port land and the district that he has just opened out a large and well-assorted stock of General Groceries &amp; Oilmon's Stores, which he is prepared to sell, either wholesale or retail, at the lowest possible prices. The stock, which he has purchased from the first Melbourne houses, comprises Teas Coffees ' Sugars Currants Raisins Oatmeal Pearl barley - Starch Soap Keroseno .?;i. Candles Popper Spices Pickles Sauces SMaizena Preserved fish Bacon Blue Cheese Butter Oils Tobacco Cigars] Matches &amp;o. &amp;c. PI. has also on hand a well-assorted stock of Ladies' Gentlernons', and Children's BOOTS AND SIIOES. J. S. WUILSOiN &amp; Co., EARTIIENWARE MANUFACTURERS, FOOTSCRAY, IEL UOURIE. ANE, E4yptian Black, Maz-rine ' Blue, Green, and other bodies made to order. VICTORIA HOUSE TYERS STREET. - PORTLAND. A?t'RS. BIADNALL has pleasure in an .L. nouncing that she is prepared to imake arrangem...